Some of the Good News Roundups I write suggest a theme that I can use as an introduction. Today’s stories didn’t yield a clear one. But as I looked over the items I chose for today, a few themes did occur to me:
- The electorate is smarter than most of the pundits.
- Most people aren’t being fooled by disinformation.
- A majority of voters support progressive goals.
- Citizen activism works.
- Individuals are stepping up to fill the holes in the safety net that our leaders aren’t fixing.
These ideas are familiar to long-time Gnusies, but I think all of us can benefit from seeing as much evidence of them as possible. I know that finding today’s stories has cheered me up, and I hope they’ll have the same effect on you.
So welcome, dear reader, whether you’re a dedicated Gnusie, a silent regular, an occasional drop-in, or a first-timer. Come sit with us to find and share messages of hope and to celebrate all the ways good people are solving problems and triumphing over evil-doers.
The task we have set ourselves here at the Good News Roundup is to search out hope no matter how difficult the situation might be. We learned during The Former Guy’s four years of error and terror that hope can be found even in the darkest times. Now we find ourselves in a time when despite a lot of good news, it’s still the bad news and contentious commentary that gets the most attention from the media. So our mission of boosting good news is especially important now.
The Good News Roundup is a collaborative effort. We warmly encourage you to add your own good news finds in our comment section, The Best Comment Section on the Internet™, where sanity reigns, Gloomy Guses and Debbie Downers are encouraged to see the light, and pie fights are forbidden.
Settle in with a cup of whatever morning beverage you prefer and see what good news I’ve been able to dig out from under this week’s headlines.
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Opening music
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Good news in politics
Data for Progress poll finds broad support for taxing the rich to fund “Build Back Better”
From Data for Progress:
[In a poll of voters in the 12 key states of Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin], Data for Progress found that 60% of likely voters, including 62% of Independents, support taxing corporations and the highest-income households to pay for the plan. Other polling found that this pay-for method actually increased support for the Build Back Better plan overall. In direct response to these results, the White House advised House Democrats to promote the plan by emphasizing that it would be paid for by taxing corporations and the wealthy, as well as by strengthening the IRS to crack down on tax evasion by the rich.
More Republicans than ever support abortion rights, new poll finds
From The American Independent:
A Fox News poll conducted Sept. 12-15 found that even most Republican voters want to keep the Roe v. Wade precedent protecting abortion rights nationally — the first time for such a result since the network began polling the question. The survey, released Thursday, recorded its highest-ever overall levels of support for the Supreme Court's 1973 ruling.
When asked "Do you think the Supreme Court should overturn Roe v. Wade or let it stand?" 65% of registered voters said they want to keep the ruling and 28% said they do not. This was an increase of four points in support since the network last polled the issue in October 2020.
That support includes majorities of Republicans (53% keep, 40% overturn), Democrats (77%-17%), independents (64%-25%), and even people who say they voted for former President Donald Trump (52%-39%).
The debt limit fight is a scam. The GOP counts on voters not knowing that.
So let’s tell ‘em! This would be a good project for the Truth Brigade.
BTW, It’s interesting that this op-ed is by “a domestic policy adviser to President Ronald Reagan.”
By Bruce Bartlett in The Washington Post:
McConnell is signaling that his caucus is content to kneecap a Democratic president with the threat of letting the United States default on its credit.
It’s a move from the same playbook McConnell used to try to hamstring President Barack Obama in budget talks. But it’s a riskier one now, in the post-Trump era, when some congressional Republicans, with no serious agenda of their own and motivated by residual fake 2020 outrage, might be tempted to let a default happen for what they hope is a political win.
No matter how far they take their threat this time, McConnell and Republicans are counting on Americans not understanding what the debt ceiling is — that’s the only way this scam can work.
The debt limit is a legal formality. It isn’t an economic constraint on the federal government’s ability to borrow. A vote to raise it isn’t a vote for more debt; it’s a vote to fund the debts the government already owes. The debt limit exists because some policymakers would like to turn the public’s general opposition to debts and deficits into legislation that would reduce them or at least control their growth.
America is not facing a civil war — only loudmouthed extremists
Another welcome jab at lazy journos and pundits.
By Michael Hiltzik in the LA Times:
With an election just behind us and another beckoning a year from now, political pundits are dusting off their perennial observations about a “polarized” America.
Actually, these observations don’t need to be dusted off because they’re never put on the shelf, no matter how wrong they’re proved by actual facts. The truth is that America is nothing like a polarized country.
Large majorities agree on the most pressing issues of the day: They favor abortion rights, stricter gun controls and more COVID-related restrictions, especially on unvaccinated people. You might not be aware of this if you listen to programs on Fox News or even the average political commentary in our leading newspapers or on CNN.
And in the ever-growing category of illegal shenanigans tied to Trump, we have this scummy story. There are a lot of veterans who are registered Republicans, and learning that TFG’s buddies tried to monetize their medical records might change a few of their minds (and party affiliations).
'Mar-A-Lago Three' broke law with scheme to monetize veterans' medical records: House investigators
From Raw Story:
A congressional investigation found three members of Donald Trump's private club Mar-A-Lago illegally exerted influence over the Department of Veterans Affairs.
"The documents we are releasing today shed light on the secret role the Trio played in developing VA initiatives and programs, including a 'highly profitable' plan to monetize veterans' medical records," wrote investigators from the House Oversight Committee and the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. ✂️
Perlmutter is [the former] chairman of Marvel Entertainment, while Sherman is an attorney and Moskowitz is a Palm Beach physician, and none of the men has any previous experience in veterans' affairs.
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Good news from my corner of the world
Redistricting: Oregon Legislature OKs new congressional, legislative maps after boycott ends
From the Statesman Journal:
New state legislative and congressional maps passed the Oregon Legislature Monday after House Republicans ended their one-day boycott and returned to the chamber despite lingering concerns over the maps' fairness.
The congressional map — which was amended in a House committee on Monday to be less slanted toward Democrats ...includes a new sixth seat in the U.S. House. ✂️
The congressional map proposal creates four Democrat-leaning seats, one Republican-leaning seat and one relative toss-up, according to independent analyses. The closest Democrat-leaning seat by voter registration would be Congressional District 6, which would include Salem. Congressional District 5 is the toss-up, but would include the city of Bend, which has trended left in recent decades and is growing quickly, meaning it could turn the district into a safe Democratic seat in the near future.
In short, the amended proposal could lead to a 5-1 Democratic advantage in the state's congressional delegation.
Campaign to overturn Oregon gun control bill fails
From Oregon Public Broadcasting:
An effort to undo a major gun-control bill passed by Oregon Democrats this year has failed, meaning the law will take effect on Saturday as scheduled [because the petition to undo the law failed to gain enough signatures to qualify as a referendum]. ✂️
The bill was an amalgamation of two separate proposals, which were united by Democrats to ensure passage of top priorities for members in the House and Senate.
One part of the bill is a “safe storage” law Democrats had worked for years to pass. Once it takes effect on Saturday, Oregon will join 11 other states that require gun owners to store their firearms in a safe or gun room, or to use a trigger lock to ensure a gun can’t be fired when not in use. ✂️
The other piece of the bill enacts new gun bans in the state Capitol and Portland International Airport. It also allows public school districts, community colleges and universities to set their own policy banning guns. While possessing a gun in public buildings is already illegal for many, state law has long had an exception for people who hold concealed handgun licenses. SB 554 removes that exemption.
Oregon Announces Stabilization Grant Opportunity to Assist Child Care Providers
From The Skanner:
Child care providers in Oregon are invited to apply for child care stabilization grants through the Early Learning Division (ELD). Oregon received approximately $224 million in grant funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to be paid directly to eligible providers struggling during COVID-19.
Funding will be available to a broad range of providers, including licensed family child care, center-based care, and license-exempt providers receiving child care subsidies. To be eligible for these funds, providers must be currently open and operating. The funding cannot be used to start a new program. To be considered for the grant, providers must complete an application on ELD’s website by December 31, 2021. Award amounts will vary based on provider type and other criteria.
Child care providers may use the grants to cover a range of expenses such as personnel costs, rent or mortgage payments, COVID-related supplies, training and professional development related to health and safety practices, mental health supports, and reimbursement of costs associated with the current public health emergency.
Evolution and investments to Address Hunger — and Its Roots
Good news from the Oregon Food Bank, which has adopted increasingly activist, inclusive policies over the past decade. By the way, OFB serves the entire state through a unified food bank system with regional food distribution hubs, whereas the vast majority of food banks around the country serve only specific cities or regions.
From Oregon Food Bank:
Many of our programs and partnerships have evolved to better meet today’s extraordinary needs, while also building values-based networks to address hunger’s root causes.
Recognizing the pandemic’s disproportionate impact, we’re providing targeted funding and support to partners working in communities that have long faced hunger and poverty — communities of color, immigrants and refugees, single mothers and caregivers, and trans and gender non-conforming communities. Whether through direct assistance to organizations led by and serving these communities, or dedicated support for the Oregon Worker Relief Fund, our shared efforts have assisted thousands of families who too often fall through outdated and inadequate social safety nets.
Just one example: our Ambassador program has expanded from a sole focus on garden-based programming to more holistic initiatives that address food insecurity. In the past year alone, this effort has grown to encompass leadership development, organizing and civic engagement in the Congolese, East African, Karen, Palauan and Slavic communities. And many Ambassadors are now forming their own nonprofit organizations with formalized programming, from urban farming education to community-led farmers markets.
Portlanders Getting Free Trees This Fall May Help With the Heat Next Summer
From Willamette Week:
Portland Parks & Recreation’s Urban Forestry division will be giving away 1,800 free trees through November to help make sure the greenery—and its all-important shade—is accessible to all.
Anyone living in Portland is eligible to receive as many as two free trees to plant on private property as part of the Yard Tree Giveaway. The program is Portland Parks & Rec’s effort to add to the city’s canopy, particularly in neighborhoods east of the Willamette River that are dominated by concrete and feature little between the summer sun’s punishing rays and the ground.
In a July WW cover story, Portland State University professor Vivek Shandas identified the lack of shade from tree canopy as one of the three main factors that caused the city’s eastside neighborhoods to reach temperatures far above the rest of the city during the early summer heat wave.
The last word on Ivermectin as an anti-viral?
If only.
This is a comment on a story published in Willamette Week last week.
Valerie Wallace, via wweek.com: “My dad developed [Ivermectin]. Merck discovered that it had weak anti-viral properties in human tissue samples, and started doing research to see if it was effective against HIV in the 1990s. They were never able to get results outside of human tissue. Doses made for large animals will poison you. Doses made for humans are ineffective against viruses. There is 30 years of research trying to figure out how to make ivermectin work as an anti-viral, and it just doesn’t. My dad’s advice is to get the vaccine. P.S. My dad lives in the Portland area.”
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Good news from around the nation
Massive shift in public opinion regarding interracial marriage since 1958
From Future Crunch:
In one of the largest shifts of public opinion ever recorded, Gallup says that 94% of American adults now approve of interracial marriage, a huge leap from 4% when the poll began in 1958. People over the age of 50 experienced the biggest shift, increasing their approval by 64% in the past 30 years. Can't help but think of Max Planck's legendary quote:
“A scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it.”
Fallout begins for far-right trolls who trusted Epik to keep their identities secret
Stories like this are just delicious. I’m looking forward to more!
From The Washington Post:
In the real world, Joshua Alayon worked as a real estate agent in Pompano Beach, Fla. ...But online, data revealed by the massive hack of Epik, an Internet-services company popular with the far right, signaled a darker side. Alayon’s name and personal details were found on invoices suggesting he had once paid for websites with names such as racisminc.com, whitesencyclopedia.com, christiansagainstisrael.com and theholocaustisfake.com. ✂️
After Alayon’s name appeared in the breached data, his brokerage, Travers Miran Realty, dropped him as an agent, as first reported by the real estate news site Inman. The brokerage’s owner, Rick Rapp, told The Washington Post that he didn’t “want to be involved with anyone with thoughts or motives like that.”
Alayon told The Post that he does not own the “racisminc,” Holocaust-denial or other Web addresses but declined to say if he had owned them in the past; the records were hacked earlier this year. But in a screenshot of his Epik account, which he sent to The Post, the information for four other domains he currently owns matches the private records that can be found in the Epik breach.
Asked why his name, email address and other personal information were listed in company invoices for the “racisminc” and Holocaust-denial domains, Alayon said the data was “easily falsifiable,” that he was the possible victim of extortion and that The Post was “fake news.”
Free Grocery Store In Middle School Gunna Make Sure EVERYBODY Eats
From Wonkette:
In College Park, Georgia, right next to Atlanta, a new grocery store opened up yesterday, which wouldn't normally be news, except everything in this store is free, and it's located next to the gym in Ronald McNair Middle School, a Title 1 school that serves poor kids. The store is the brainchild of Jasmine Crowe, founder of anti-hunger nonprofit Goodr, and was partly funded by rapper Gunna, who went to school at McNair himself. (The school is named after astronaut Ron McNair, who died in the 1986 explosion of the space shuttle Challenger.) ✂️
It'll be getting food and other necessities to families of kids at the school, which has about 900 students. Students' families can use an app or Goodr's website to request food, hygiene products, and home supplies, and then the kids will be able to pick the stuff up at the school store. The store includes a clothing outlet [that] features Gunna merch, clothes (including school uniform items and casual stuff too), and even sneakers donated by Atlanta Foot Locker stores and Reebok.
Students will also be able to pick up some items just by stopping in, like snacks and hygiene stuff. No, not sneakers, you nutty kids, your family has to request those. Beyond the store, Goodr will also prepare fresh meats and produce off site, to deliver to families that need it.
Woman aptly named Angel Flood helps linemen working to restore power in Louisiana
I love this story because I know from experience what big, open hearts the folks in Louisiana have.
From CBS News:
After Hurricane Ida, linemen from across the country traveled to southern Louisiana to restore power. They found an angel in the flood — a woman actually named Angel Flood, who was giving meals to those who came to help.
"I just knew it from the beginning. I was like, we've got to feed these people," Flood said. Under her blue-tarped roof, Flood prepped lunch for the linemen working in and around Houma. With restaurants in the area closed, she couldn't stand the thought of them eating cold, processed food.
But Flood isn't the only one stepping up. While CBS News was there, it seemed like every 15 minutes someone else was showing up with a side dish. It's a scene that repeats daily in Houma and across Louisiana. … In one Facebook group, CBS News found thousands of people helping the linemen in every parish affected by the storm. They've prepared meals, offered rooms and washed laundry. ✂️
"They have been an absolute godsend to us," ... said [lineman Jarrad Cawley, of Winter Garden, Florida]. "I've been on a lot of storms. I've been doing this for quite some time. We've never been treated this good before."
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Good news from around the world
Germany votes: Big gains for center-left parties, heavy losses for conservatives
More indication that Europe is turning away from far-right candidates and policies.
From Deutsche Welle:
Angela Merkel's conservatives have suffered their worst postwar result. The center-left Social Democrats now lead, preliminary results show. Both parties say they are ready to form the next coalition.
- The vote will decide who becomes Germany's next chancellor when Angela Merkel steps down
- Preliminary results show the SPD [Social Democratic Party] leading the CDU/CSU [Christian Democratic Union / Christian Social Union]
- The Greens are third, followed by the FDP [Free Democratic Party], the AfD [far-right Alternative for Germany] and the Left party
- The SPD and CDU both claim mandate to form a coalition
And more good news on the German election:
85,000 [German] adults with disabilities can vote for the first time
From Deutsche Welle:
It took a concentrated effort on the part of activists and NGOs over the course of decades to get here.
[Peer Brocke, spokesman for the organization Lebenshilfe, Germany's largest NGO advocating for people with disabilities] explained that smaller parties, such as the environmentalist Greens and the communist Left Party, as well the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), had voiced their support for enfranchising all German adults. "But many in the CDU stopped it from happening. ✂️
The CDU is Chancellor Angela Merkel's center-right Christian Democrats, and the reason for their resistance, Brocke said, was that "they assumed that adults with guardians couldn't form their own opinions. Or, they claimed, their postal vote could be manipulated." Which, Brocke says, would also apply to very old voters who use mail-in voting.
Jürgen Dusel, who advises the German government on disability policy, echoed Brocke's statements. He sees a culture of ableism also in the media and everyday society. "We heard the same arguments over and over, that some people with disabilities could not form their own opinions, or understand what was at stake...arguments no dissimilar to those used by opponent of granting women the right to vote 100 years ago."
UK employees to be given right to request flexible working
From Positive News:
People in the UK will be given the right to request flexible working on day one of their new job, under proposals being considered by the government. Bosses would also have to explain why any requests were turned down.
Employees currently have to wait until they’ve been in a role for six months before they can request flexible working.
A consultation on the proposals launched on Thursday. Proponents argue that the policy will help make flexible working the norm post-pandemic. Critics argue that they don’t go far enough, and that employees should be given the right to flexible working, not just the right to request it.
A self-taught tutor in Zimbabwe created a revolutionary exam prep program for students
From Future Crunch:
Maxwell Chimesza, a 27 year old self-taught tutor in Zimbabwe… developed an exam preparation program for students on WhatsApp, and sparked an education revolution with just a Samsung Galaxy phone, and 32GB of storage. ✂️
When unemployment ravaged Zimbabwe in 2019, Maxwell struggled to find a job. Taking matters into his own hands, he launched a 'student polishing service' to help kids prepare for exams. “As someone who could not get to university for lack of funds, I was confident I had the capacity and knowledge to help other students earn top grades.” Without access to a computer and unable to pay Zimbabwe’s exorbitant internet rates, Maxwell launched his service through WhatsApp, which offered more affordable bundles.
Creating class timetables and materials, Maxwell ran mock tests to prepare his students for upcoming exams and families paid him $10 per subject each month to help cover his data. When COVID-19 hit, demand for Maxwell’s services suddenly skyrocketed. With many Zimbabwean households struggling to access the high speed Wi-Fi required for remote learning, Maxwell’s WhatsApp classroom was an accessible, effective option. ✂️
His school gained public attention earlier this year when his class of 64 WhatsApp students snagged 41 A-grade marks and 100% pass rate, placing them in the same league as students from Zimbabwe’s most expensive elite boarding schools.
A print sale launched to help female Afghan journalists
From Positive News:
A online sale of photographs that were taken in Afghanistan has been launched to help raise money for female Afghan journalists, who face persecution under Taliban rule.
Funds from the sale will help them flee the country, or continue their work underground.
The collection features images taken by some of the Press Association’s most talented photo journalists. Prints cost $100 (£73).
Read the full Positive News story here.
The link to the sale is journalistsforafgh.wixsite.com/…Here’s one of the stunning photos available:
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Musical break
Here’s an oldie from 1973 reminding us that our natural human desire is for peace and community.
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Good news in science
Good news on COVID vaccinations
The US Department of Health and Human Services has put out some excellent ads. Here are two of them:
Covid vaccinations are put to the test as some New York health care workers refuse shots
It’s good news that NYC’s health commissioner doesn’t foresee staffing problems from vaccine-refusing health care workers leaving the workforce. We can’t let these assholes hold entire cities or states hostage — we have to call their bluff.
From the NY Times:
In New York, Rhode Island, Maine, Oregon and the District of Columbia, health care workers must get vaccinated to remain employed. In California, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Illinois, workers have the option to be tested regularly if they choose not to get inoculated.
On Monday, Mayor Bill de Blasio said he hoped that health care workers in New York City would agree to get vaccinated this week to avoid losing their livelihood. His administration said that about 5,000 employees at the city’s public hospital system — roughly 10 percent of the work force — had not been vaccinated and could not come to work or get paid.
Health officials in New York City said on Monday that they had not heard of any major staff shortages at public or private hospitals so far. The city’s health commissioner, Dr. Dave Chokshi, said that some hospitals might have to make operational adjustments in intensive care units or operating rooms.
“I do believe that hospitals will be prepared to get through this without a major impact to patient care,” Dr. Chokshi said at a news conference Monday morning.
COVID and erectile dysfunction: Here's another good reason for men to get vaccinated
I figure that when this news reaches the hyper-macho MAGA guys, it might change a few minds.
From USA Today:
We need more studies to confirm it, but it looks like there is another important reason to get the COVID-19 vaccine — it could help prevent erectile dysfunction.
As soon as doctors realized that the virus threatened the endovascular system, we started wondering if COVID-19 infection could cause ED. And anecdotally, since the pandemic began in March 2020, urologists like myself had noticed an uptick in patients who were experiencing erectile dysfunction.
But while we suspected that COVID and ED might be related, it hadn't been proven yet.
So, getting the news that COVID might cause episodes of ED was good news for doctors like myself who are trying to convince vaccine-skeptics of the benefits of getting the jab.
And let me, as a doctor who helps men who have erectile dysfunction, affirm that there is no — repeat no — scientific evidence to support rapper Nicki Minaj's assertion to her 22.6 million Twitter followers this week that the COVID vaccines can cause impotency or "swollen testicles."
Excision's CRISPR gene editing therapy for HIV is heading into human testing after FDA clearance
From Fierce Biotech:
A CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology that has shown promise in clearing HIV from mice is headed into human testing.
Excision BioTherapeutics will usher the CRISPR-based therapy EBT-101 into clinical trials after the FDA cleared an investigational new drug application, according to the company’s press release.
EBT-101 is under development as a potential virus-clearing treatment for patients with HIV—or, put in the company’s words, “a potential functional cure for chronic HIV.”
We don’t like to throw the word “cure” around here. But Excision thinks the therapy could replace standard-of-care retroviral therapy, which keeps HIV from replicating but does not remove it from the body. That means patients stay on the treatment, which can cause serious side effects and affect quality of life. Now with the start of human testing, the real path to see if this new and lauded tech can accomplish this really begins. ✂️
Excision's news arrives the same week that Intellia announced a gene editing therapy for acute myeloid leukemia had been cleared for human trials by the FDA.
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Good news for and about the environment
Climate change: China to exit coal-fired power abroad
As Future Crunch said in their intro to this story, “Difficult to overstate how important this is; in all the years we've been reporting on the clean energy transition, it's one of the biggest pieces of news we've ever shared. Beijing is by far the largest source of financing for coal plants globally, and the decision sends a clear signal to the rest of the world that the end of the fossil fuel era is now in sight.”
From Deutsche Welle, via Future Crunch:
China gave unexpected hope in the push to decarbonize the global energy supply when President Xi Jinping committed to ending support for new coal power projects overseas.
Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Xi's statement regarding the need to "actively respond to climate change and create a community of life for man and nature" reiterated China's commitment to carbon neutrality by 2060 — and to peak emissions before 2030.
But the further vow to end China's investment in overseas coal-fired power plants could be a groundbreaking moment in the leadup to the pivotal COP26 climate conference in November.
After Japan and South Korea also ended support for overseas coal projects in the last year, China was by far the world's largest coal financer, especially in Asia where some 600 new coal plants are slated to be built.
Does Nature Have Rights? A Burgeoning Legal Movement Says Rivers, Forests and Wildlife Have Standing, Too.
From Inside Climate News:
[The legal movement for the rights of nature]...has surfaced globally in legislation, judicial rulings and constitutional amendments in countries that include Canada, Mexico, France, Colombia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bolivia, India, New Zealand, Ecuador and Uganda. At the United Nations, a Harmony With Nature program has helped coordinate and advance the movement, with nongovernmental organizations playing a leading role.
In the United States, rights of nature laws have taken root in more than 30 localities across the country, in, among other states, Ohio, Colorado, Pennsylvania and Minnesota. Florida, home to Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, a leading Trump supporter, has become an unlikely epicenter, while other Florida cities like Titusville, Venice, Fort Myers, Naples and other jurisdictions are in varying stages of developing their own rights of nature ordinances, following [a 2020 vote in favor of legal rights for rivers, mountains, and forests in Orange County, FL].
Still, no U.S. court has ever upheld a rights of nature law, although some remain on the books, in effect awaiting litigation. The U.S. laws, so far mostly local ordinances, face unique obstacles because of legal precedent that subordinates local government laws and lawsuits to state legislation. A hearing scheduled for November on Orange County’s charter change could be the most consequential legal moment to date for the rights of nature concept in the American courts.
9 questions about the Civilian Climate Corps, answered
I thought this was a good overview of an exciting program that isn’t getting enough news coverage.
From the Washington Post:
[Funding for a Civilian Climate Corps is included in the Infrastructure Bill passed by the House.] ...how exactly would a Civilian Climate Corps work?
What would the Civilian Climate Corps look like?
The corps would be a federally funded initiative aimed at employing tens of thousands of young people to fight climate change. ✂️
How is this like the Civilian Conservation Corps? How is it different?
One divergence is scope. FDR’s corps [employed] some half a million Americans annually at its height. Even the most ambitious iterations of the climate corps would top out at around 300,000 members per year, with the more likely outcome a fraction of that.
Then there’s diversity. The original CCC was almost exclusively open to young, White men. The aim for the revival is to be much more inclusive. ✂️
Are there currently any climate corps?
...according to the National Association of Service and Conservation Corps, also known as the Corps Network, there are currently over 130 conservation corps with roughly 25,000 members nationwide. That includes many groups receiving federal funding from AmeriCorps…✂️
Is there opposition?
The reconciliation package, which would establish the climate corps, is not expected to garner any Republican votes. ✂️
How much funding could the proposal receive?
Ultimately, funding decisions will shape the size of any future corps. Mary Ellen Sprenkel, president of the Corps Network, estimates that it would cost about $40,000 to $45,000 to add each additional corps member...[which] with an educational stipend, ...could be closer to $70,000.
Who would run the climate corps? How would they recruit members?
[The plan put forward by Sen. Edward Markey...and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]. would run the program through AmeriCorps. Others have suggested that the funding be spread across government agencies. ✂️
When can individuals sign up?
With many of the details unsettled, the timeline is difficult to predict. But once a climate corps is funded, [environmental economist Mark] Paul hopes that there will be projects underway within a couple of years. “The youth are deeply concerned about the climate crisis,” he said. “They want opportunities to work.”
Canada Announces $340 Million Investment to Support Indigenous-led Conservation
From The Planetary Press:
The Government of Canada has announced a substantial new investment to support Indigenous-led conservation.
The Canadian government will provide up to $340 million in new funding over the next five years to support Indigenous leadership in conservation. The investment is part of the nation’s $2.3 billion commitment to nature conservation.
“This is the largest federal investment in Indigenous-led stewardship to date, and we welcome the Government of Canada’s commitment to partnering with Indigenous Nations on conservation and stewardship,” stated Valérie Courtois, Director of the Indigenous Leadership Initiative.
More than half of the investment will go towards supporting new and existing Indigenous Guardians initiatives as well as the development of Indigenous Guardians Networks for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis.
Blowers, mowers and more: American yards quietly go electric
The sooner the better!
From AP:
There’s a quiet transformation going on in yards across the country. Longstanding complaints about the roar and fumes from gas-powered leaf blowers, mowers and other equipment have grown even louder as more people work from home because of the pandemic.
Meanwhile, the quality of zero- to low-emissions electric landscaping equipment has improved markedly, with battery packs that last longer.
“Batteries have changed a lot in the past year alone, and we are there in terms of technology. Now it’s just a matter of getting the word out to professionals and consumers,” says Kurt Morrell, associate vice president for horticulture operations at the New York Botanical Garden.
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Good news for and about animals
Brought to you by Rosy, Nora, and Rascal.
South Korea's president raises ban on eating dog meat: "Hasn't the time come?”
Rosy chose this story and I agreed, although posting it was hard — even thinking about the Korean dogs raised for slaughter makes me shed tears. It’s certainly good news that this barbaric tradition might soon be banned.
From CBS News:
South Korea's President Moon Jae-in raised banning the eating of dogs in the country on Monday, his office said, a traditional practice that is becoming an international embarrassment.
The meat has long been a part of South Korean cuisine with about one million dogs believed to be eaten annually, but consumption has declined as more people embrace dogs as companions rather than livestock. The practice is now something of a taboo among younger generations and pressure from animal rights activists has also been mounting.
"Hasn't the time come to prudently consider prohibiting dog meat consumption?" Moon told Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum during a weekly meeting, according to the presidential spokeswoman.
South Korea's pet industry is on the rise, with a growing number of people living with dogs at home -- the president among them.
Moon is a known dog lover and has several canines at the presidential compound, including a mutt he rescued after taking office. Adopting Tory was one of Moon's pledges during his presidential campaign and the pooch became the first rescue dog to make its way into the Blue House.
Pittsburgh Considers Cat Declawing Ban
Nora chose this one. She finds it appalling, of course, that declawing is allowed anywhere.
From Alley Cat Allies:
Pittsburgh is on the verge of becoming the first city in Pennsylvania to ban cat declawing—and joining a growing number of compassionate communities across the country and the world in safeguarding cats from this traumatic, needless surgery that can cause lifelong damage to a cat.
On September 28, the full City Council of Pittsburgh will take the final vote on whether to approve 2021-1997, an ordinance to ban cat declawing citywide. … Alley Cat Allies is urging all Pittsburgh residents to stand up for the cats in their community and ask their councilmembers to vote YES on this important ordinance. If you live in Pittsburgh, you can take action right now.
Alongside experts including The Paw Project, Alley Cat Allies has championed outreach and advocacy to end cat declawing for decades and mobilized thousands of people to stand against the cruel practice. We rallied to make New York the first state in the United States to ban declawing, and we continue to advocate for similar legislation across the country. ✂️
Declawing can cause permanent physical and mental harm to cats, with the pain and discomfort of the procedure inhibiting many of their natural behaviors. Without their claws, cats can also feel unsafe and experience issues with walking and balancing. Declawed cats are often in so much pain that they avoid the litter box or bite to defend themselves. These are two of the most common reasons cats are taken to animal shelters, where the majority will be killed.
Bruce Is a Parrot With a Broken Beak. So He Invented a Tool.
This is Rascal’s choice. He wants me to mention that he’s a tool-user too: there’s a small manzanita perch in his cage that he’s sharpened the end of by gnawing it with his beak, and he uses the point to scratch the parts of his head that he can’t reach with his foot. Clever bird!
Click on the link to see a video of Bruce in action.
From the NY Times:
Bruce is a kea, a species of parrot found only in New Zealand. He is about 9 years old, and when wildlife researchers found him as a baby, he was missing his upper beak, probably because it had been caught in a trap made for rats and other invasive mammals the country was trying to eliminate. This is a severe disability, as kea use their dramatically long and curved upper beaks for preening their feathers to get rid of parasites and to remove dirt and grime.
But Bruce found a solution: He has taught himself to pick up pebbles of just the right size, hold them between his tongue and his lower beak, and comb through his plumage with the tip of the stone. Other animals use tools, but Bruce’s invention of his own prosthetic is unique.
Researchers published their findings Friday [Sept. 10] in the journal Scientific Reports.
All three of my furred and feathered co-editors chose this last story. What great news for animals all over the world!
European Parliament Passes Historic Resolution To End All Animal Experiments
From Plant Based News:
The European Parliament has passed a historic resolution to phase out animal testing. The resolution calls on the European Commission to launch an action plan to end all experiments on animals.
Currently, around 10 million animals are used in invasive experiments in EU laboratories every year, according to the Humane Society International. Scientists test on monkeys, dogs, cats, rabbits, rats, and mice.
The vote was nearly unanimous – 667 to 4 in favor of the anti-animal testing resolution.
The motion for a resolution aims to prioritize the shift towards scientific methods that do not involve animals, including for research, regulatory testing, and education. It also urges for increased funding for animal-free research. ✂️
Dr. Aysha Akhtar [Co-founder and CEO of the Center for Contemporary Sciences] … commented: “There is an urgent scientific need to move away from unreliable animal testing and use more predictive models that are based on human biology.” Akhtar added that these new methods represent a ‘new era in medical research’ that can ‘revolutionize human health’.
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Hot lynx
www.newyorker.com/...The Supply-Chain Mystery. An excellent deep-dive analysis by one of the New Yorker’s best writers.
www.optimistdaily.com/… This printing method eliminates the need for harmful dyes and pigments. It uses transparent ink!
onbeing.org/...Forests Are Wired for Wisdom. A fascinating interview with forest ecologist Suzanne Simard.
www.optimistdaily.com/...This AI system is designed to protect roosting bats. “Ensuring they are not using a bridge as a home before starting construction is critical for conserving their populations. “
www.goodnewsnetwork.org/… One Man Set Out to Make the Perfect Pasta Shape, And it’s So Popular That Orders are Backed Up for Months. Of course, I had to order some!! (Sfoglini.com)
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Wherever is herd…
A tip of the hat to 2thanks for creating this handy info sheet for all Gnusies new and old!
Morning Good News Roundups at 7 x 7: These Gnusies lead the herd at 7 a.m. ET, 7 days a week:
- The Monday GNR Newsroom (Jessiestaf, Killer300, and Bhu). With their five, we survive and thrive.
- Alternating Tuesdays: NotNowNotEver and arhpdx.
- Wednesdays: niftywriter.
- Thursdays: Mokurai the 1st and 2nd Thursdays, WineRev the 3rd, MCUBernieFan the 4th, and Mokurai the 5th (when there is one).
- Fridays: chloris creator. Regular links to the White House Briefing Room.
- Saturdays: GoodNewsRoundup. Heart-stirring and soul-healing introduction and sometimes memes to succumb to.
- Sundays: 2thanks. A brief roundup of Roundups, a retrospective, a smorgasbord, a bulletin board, an oasis, a watering hole, a thunder of hooves, a wellness, a place for beginners to learn the rules of the veldt.
hpg posts Evening Shade diaries at 7:30 p.m. ET every day! After a long day, Gnusies meet in the evening shade and continue sharing Good News, good community, and good actions. In the words of NotNowNotEver: “hpg ably continues the tradition of Evening Shade.” Find Evening Shades here.
oldhippiedude posts Tweets of the Week on Sundays at 6:00 p.m. Central Time — New time! Our second evening Gnusie hangout zone! In search of a TOTW diary? Look here or here.
For more information about the Good News group, please see our detailed Welcoming comment, one of the first comments in our morning diaries.
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How to Resist: Do Something …
I’m following 2thanks’ lead and including this invaluable list from chloris creator:
Indivisible has created a Truth Brigade to push back against the lies.
Propaganda, false characterizations, intentionally misleading messages, and outright lies threaten our democracy and even our lives. We can effectively combat disinformation, despite the well-funded machines that drive it. They may have money, but we have truth and we have people. People believe sources they trust. When we share and amplify unified, factual messages to those who trust us, we shift the narrative. When we do this by the thousands--we’re part of the Indivisible Truth Brigade, and we get our country back. Join us.️
Our own Mokurai is a member. You can see his diary on the California recall here.
From GoodNewsRoundup (aka Goodie):
Most important: DON'T LOSE HOPE. This is a giant and important fight for us but, win or lose, we keep fighting and voting and organizing and spreading truth and light. We never give up.
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Closing music
I’ll leave you with something that’s bound to put a smile on your face. Art Tatum was a once-in-a-century keyboard genius. Fats Waller, no slouch himself, famously announced one night when Tatum walked into the club where Waller was playing, “I only play the piano, but tonight God is in the house.”
Here’s Tatum playing three versions of “Tea for Two,” some of the most joyful (not to mention technically astounding) music I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to.
❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
Thanks to all of you for your smarts, your hearts, and
your faithful attendance at our daily Gathering of the Herd.
❤️💙 RESIST, PERSIST, REBUILD, REJOICE! 💙❤️